Cheering all the way...

Ganesh was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his late teens, circa 1980. He experienced florid symptoms of the condition, including hallucinations and delusions. The symptoms receded after three years of treatment; however, many allied issues like social withdrawal, inappropriate emotions, and low self-esteem remained. In his story, despite the seemingly smooth return to the mainstream, he suffered many setbacks. Nevertheless, he overcame much of the secondary distress of the affliction through sheer serendipity and some self-analyses besides newer antipsychotics. He is 65 years old and has been on some form of medication for the past 45 years.

An alumnus of Bishop Cotton Boy's School, Bangalore, Ganesh has an engineering degree from BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore, a Master's in Business, and another in Social and Applied Economics from Wright State University, Ohio, USA. He consulted in the USA, India, and Japan, mainly for Business Mapping and Reengineering. Now entirely retired from corporate engagement, he is a mental health volunteer.

Ganesh spoke at the biennial International Conference on Schizophrenia, conducted by Schizophrenia Research Foundation, Chennai. He recently participated in developing a charter on mental health policy for the World Health Organization, South-East Asia, at Kathmandu. You can click here to view a brief interview of Ganesh at the workshop. Ganesh was a speaker and panelist at the Early Psychosis Intervention Conference (IEPA 14) in Lausanne, Switzerland. He discussed his experience of onset, manifestation, and coping mechanisms. Click here for a transcript of the presentation. In addition, as a panelist on innovative interventions in middle—and low-income countries at the conference, Ganesh opined that given the resource crunch, using "whatever works" becomes essential.

Ganesh is on the Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB) of the Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF), India. He participated in PIECES, a community research program, and contributed to refining DIALOG+, a computer app-based recovery study. In another facet of research, he is the India 'Lead' of the LEAB for INTREPID III, an ambitious research program of King's College, London, and an extension of a 10-year study, INTREPID II. Currently, researchers are compiling desired outcomes for people with mental illness in India, Nigeria, and Trinidad, factoring in Inputs from Persons With Lived Experiences (PWLEs).

In other volunteer activity, Ganesh mediates an online self-help support group for mental health with the Eklavya Foundation for Mental Health, Pune, India. These sessions, conducted in English, use a locally adapted version of Dr. Abraham Low's Recovery International methodology. Ganesh also organizes guest speakers for the group and broader audiences on various topics related to mental health. The group has been active for over two years. Please visit the More Help tab if you wish to know more.

Ganesh has authored two books, Being Here Now [Non-fiction – First published as I, Me and Us, Westland], and God Flipped Me Off [A work of fiction that aims to inform as it entertains]. His writings capture the essence of everything that facilitated his return - rejuvenated. The non-fiction book explores managing schizophrenia, interleaving patient-doctor dialogues, and unorthodox existential conclusions. His other book is an easy-to-read fiction in an Indian setting, providing episodes that help caregivers and care seekers understand do's and don'ts.

Ganesh is married, with children, and lives in Tamil Nadu, India.